Turkish Döner Kebab (Beef or Lamb) Recipe

Introduction

Turkish Döner Kebab is a flavorful and aromatic dish featuring spiced ground beef or lamb cooked to perfection. This recipe brings the authentic taste of Istanbul’s beloved street food right to your kitchen.

Ingredients

• 1 large yellow onion (pureed)
• 1 lb ground beef 80/20 (or ground lamb)
• 2 tablespoons yogurt
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp thyme leaves
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 onion (thinly sliced into semicircles)
• 8 sprigs of parsley (chopped)
• 1 teaspoon ground sumac
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 tablespoons yogurt or labneh
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 small Persian cucumber (shredded, drained)
• 3-4 sprigs dill (chopped)
• 4 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 8 pita, pide or lavash bread
• Sliced pickles, tomatoes and warm french fries (optional)

Instructions

1. Step 1: In a bowl, mix together the ground beef or lamb, yogurt, milk, kosher salt, red pepper flakes, thyme, cinnamon, and black pepper.
2. Step 2: Puree the large yellow onion in a food processor or blender and strain through a sieve, pressing the juice into the meat mixture. Knead until everything is thoroughly combined.
3. Step 3: Using wet hands, shape the döner mixture into an 8-inch log. Wrap it tightly in foil, twisting the ends to seal. Freeze for 3–4 hours. It can be kept frozen for up to 6 months.
4. Step 4: Prepare the Onion Sumac Salad and White Cucumber Sauce. For the salad, toss thinly sliced onion, chopped parsley, ground sumac, and olive oil. For the sauce, mix yogurt or labneh, mayonnaise, shredded cucumber, chopped dill, minced garlic, and kosher salt.
5. Step 5: When ready to cook, remove the frozen döner and let sit for 5 minutes. Slice as thinly as possible. Work in batches to avoid thawing the whole log.
6. Step 6: Heat a large skillet over medium heat and melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Cook half of the döner slices until browned on both sides, then repeat with the remaining slices and butter.
7. Step 7: Serve the cooked döner over warm pita, pide, or lavash bread spread with White Cucumber Sauce. Top with the sizzling döner meat and Onion Sumac Salad. Add sliced pickles, tomatoes, and warm french fries if desired.

Tips & Variations

• Use wet hands when shaping the meat to prevent sticking and ensure a smooth texture.
• For extra flavor, marinate the meat mixture overnight before shaping and freezing.
• Sumac can be found in Middle Eastern stores or ordered online; it adds a tangy brightness to the onion salad.
• Serve with spicy chili paste or a squeeze of fresh lemon for an added kick.

Storage

Keep the wrapped döner log frozen for up to 6 months. Once sliced and cooked, store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a skillet or microwave to preserve texture.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use only beef or only lamb for this recipe?

Yes, either ground beef or ground lamb works well. You can also mix them for a richer flavor.

How thin should the döner slices be?

Slices should be as thin as possible to mimic the traditional döner texture and to cook quickly and evenly.

Turkish Döner Kebab (Beef or Lamb) Recipe

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 133 reviews

Authentic Turkish Döner Kebab made with flavorful ground beef or lamb, infused with aromatic spices and onions, cooked to perfection in a skillet. Served with refreshing white cucumber sauce, tangy onion sumac salad, and warm pita or lavash bread, this recipe brings the taste of Istanbul right to your kitchen.

• Author: Lena
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 4 hours 35 minutes (including freezing time)
• Yield: 8 servings 1x
• Category: Main Course
• Method: Frying
• Cuisine: Turkish

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Döner Kebab Meat Mixture

• 1 lb ground beef 80/20 (or ground lamb)
• 1 large yellow onion (pureed)
• 2 tablespoons yogurt
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp thyme leaves
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons butter (for cooking)

Onion Sumac Salad

• 1 onion (thinly sliced into semicircles)
• 8 sprigs of parsley (chopped)
• 1 teaspoon ground sumac
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

White Cucumber Sauce

• 4 tablespoons yogurt or labneh
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 small Persian cucumber (shredded, drained)
• 3–4 sprigs dill (chopped)
• 4 cloves garlic (minced)

To Serve

• 8 pita, pide or lavash bread
• Sliced pickles (optional)
• Sliced tomatoes (optional)
• Warm French fries (optional, traditional in Istanbul)

Instructions

1. Prepare the Meat Mixture: In a bowl, combine the ground beef or lamb with yogurt, milk, kosher salt, red pepper flakes, thyme leaves, cinnamon, and ground black pepper. Mix well to distribute all spices evenly.
2. Add Pureed Onion Juice: Puree the large yellow onion in a food processor or blender until smooth. Strain the puree through a sieve, pressing the juice onto the meat mixture, discarding any solids to avoid chunks. Knead the meat mixture thoroughly until well combined.
3. Shape and Freeze: With wet hands, form the meat mixture into an 8-inch log. Wrap tightly in foil, twisting both ends to seal. Place in freezer for 3-4 hours or up to 6 months until ready to use.
4. Prepare Onion Sumac Salad: Thinly slice the onion into semicircles. In a bowl, toss the onions with chopped parsley, ground sumac, olive oil, and kosher salt. Set aside to marinate slightly.
5. Make White Cucumber Sauce: In a separate bowl, combine yogurt or labneh, mayonnaise, shredded and drained Persian cucumber, chopped dill, and minced garlic. Mix well and refrigerate until serving.
6. Slice the Frozen Döner: Remove the frozen döner log from the freezer and let it sit for 5 minutes to soften slightly. Using a sharp knife, slice the döner as thinly as possible, working in batches to avoid thawing the entire log at once.
7. Cook the Döner Slices: Heat a large skillet over medium heat and melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Add half of the döner slices in a single layer and cook undisturbed until the bottom is browned. Flip and cook the other side until well browned and cooked through. Repeat with remaining slices and butter.
8. Assemble and Serve: Warm the pita, pide, or lavash bread. Spread a layer of white cucumber sauce on the bread, top with sizzling döner meat slices, and finish with a generous portion of onion sumac salad. Add sliced pickles, tomatoes, and warm French fries if desired, for an authentic Istanbul experience.

Notes

• For authentic flavor, use ground beef with 20% fat or ground lamb.
• Pureeing and straining the onion juice avoids chunky textures in the meat.
• Freezing the shaped döner log makes slicing very thin pieces easier for cooking.
• If not serving all döner at once, keep the remaining frozen and do not refreeze once thawed.
• You can substitute labneh with thick Greek yogurt in the white cucumber sauce.
• Use a very sharp knife to achieve the thinnest possible slices of döner meat.
• This recipe is traditionally cooked on a vertical rotisserie; here, skillet pan-frying replicates the effect at home.

Keywords: Turkish Döner Kebab, ground beef kebab, lamb döner, Middle Eastern street food, skillet döner, homemade döner, Turkish street food, pita kebab